We live in a divided world. Our instantaneous access to unlimited information accentuates our global awareness of the divided world we live in. In some respects this is nothing new as the history of humankind is a history of division. Abraham Lincoln quoted the Gospel of Mark that said, "A house divided against itself, cannot stand" as he challenged the divisive nature of slavery in America. "I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."

In the midst of division, a call for unity makes a lot of sense, but the path to unity is difficult. I recently listened to a TEDx speech by Jamil Zaki on building empathy where he made a case that while empathy in our world is eroding, empathy is a skill that can be learned and developed. As a psychologist he explained steps to becoming an empathetic person in the midst of global, political, ethnic and economic differences.

I have always considered myself to be an empathetic person, sometimes to a fault. Although my life doesn't resemble their lives, St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa have always been heroes of mine. I find myself defending the most guilty of offenders simply to cover all the bases and give everyone a fair chance and to understand all sides. I never considered empathy as a learned behavior but rather a character trait passed on from our parents or developed in our youth. After listening to this talk and considering the message, I have renewed hope that we can all become more empathetic and as a result, more unified. I am encouraged by Jamil’s belief that empathy is a skill that can be learned and developed.

Challenge: Try to look at everyone's side of an issue before making a decision. Seek to be concerned for people less fortunate than you. Make giving and serving a priority. Enjoy the results. Leave a legacy.